1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reflective light modulator, in which a transparent glass substrate is arranged in contact with the surface of a transparent electrode substrate on the light source side thereof, and to a projector device using such a reflective light modulator.
2. Description of the Related Art
Projector devices have been widely applied as large-screen image-display devices. The projector device is a device in which light from a light source is input into an optical modulator and the light modulated by the optical modulator is then amplified and projected in response to video signals.
The optical modulators can roughly be divided into transmissive optical modulators (e.g., transmissive liquid crystal panels) through which incident light passes; and reflective optical modulators (e.g., reflective liquid crystal panels) from which incident light is reflected and emitted to the light source side.
In recent years, the needs of providing projector devices with high image qualities (including high intensity, high contrast, and high definition) and reducing the size of the projector devices have increased more and more. Therefore, a high-output lamp, such as a xenon lamp, has come to be used as a light source. Further, an optical modulator has been small-sized.
However, when light emitted from the high-output lamp is incident on a small optical modulator, the light heats up the optical modulator, thereby facilitating a decrease in optical characteristics due to overheating. In this case, it particularly occurs in a reflective light modulator where light enters in and outputs from the surface thereof on the light source side.
In related art, as a method for preventing an optical modulator from overheating, a method for cooling the optical modulator by external air, incorporated by a fan (air blower) mounted on a projector device has been typically employed. In this case, furthermore, a technology for hermetically closing the optical modulator by transparent glass placed around the optical modulator with spacing has also been proposed for preventing dust in the air from being attached to the optical modulator (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H9-105901)